Words of Transition
by angels-slayer-lol
Summary: 3rd installment of the 'Words Series'. As the ascenssion draws near, the Scoobies look towards their future.
1. Chapter 1

**Words Of Transition**

**Disclaimer**: See the 1st story in the series  
**Rating:** Same as show  
**Spoilers:** It's best to read the other stories in the series 1st - 'Words of Meaning' and 'Words of Truth'.  
**Summery: **As the Ascension draws near, the Scoobies look at their past and their futures.  
**Authors Notes:** I know I know! i said the next one was going to be 'Words of Endearment' but hey, that didnt happen, i felt there needed to be a story before that one (thats why its taken me so long to get this one up) but i promised it would be started by Christmas and thus i present it to you!

* * *

Buffy looked around at her friends as they spread out around Angel's bare but spacious living room. In addition to Buffy's engagement ring, Angel had also brought back from LA, much to the gangs delight, a TV and DVD player.

Not wanting to head home after the excitement of the prom, Angel has offered the use of the mansion. This decision had led to looks of happiness from the teenagers and looks of sympathy from Giles and Wesley.

Buffy stretched slightly and as she did her engagement ring sparkled in the firelight. She held her hand out and stared at it.

"You like it?"

Buffy turned to look a her boyfried...fiancee, and smiled happily whilst rolling her eyes,

"Of course I do. What girl wouldn't want a ring like this! Seriously Angel, I love it. Thankyou so much."  
"You're welcome." Angel kissed her hand and looked back at the movie. Buffy however continued to contemplate the rock on her hand.

Getting married was a huge jump, she hadn't even officially graduated yet...she may not even officially graduate. Besides Snyder being an evil troll, the whole immortality thing was only a safeguard against the natural way of time, It didnt provide any protection against sharp pointy objects or whatever the hell it was the mayor was going to turn into...The Mayor.

Mayor Willkons was only one thing on a list that seemed to be getting no shorter in the comming week. Seven days was all the gang had before the Assencion. Seven days to find out about anything about it. Seven days to either get Faith on-side - unlikely, or to find a way to stop her - Not the best train of thought to be following. Seven days was all it took for the world to be created and it may only take the same length of time for it to end.

The weight of the world settled in on Buffy's shoulders and not even the happy sounds of her friends were able to lift it. Angel felt Buffy begin to retract into her own world and he frowned. He knew exactly what was weighing her down but he didnt know any way of making it better.

Even thought she had left three Hellhounds in her wake that particular evening, Buffy was begining to tense. Getting up, she waved Willow back toward Oz and walked quietly into the garden knowing Angel wouldnt be far behind her. Bending over backwards, Buffy cracked a few stiff bones as she landed in a perfect arc. Angel walked up behind her and held his hands out, she continued in her motion, landing on her feet and took his hand.

"I'm not going to ask what's wrong because I know what's wrong. I'm not going to tell you everything's going to be alright because there is no way of knowing that and i'm not going to tell you that i'm here if you want to talk because you already know that."  
Buffy smiled slightly, "So what are you going to tell me?"  
"That I love you."  
Buffy's smile widened and she relaxed, "Thats exactly what I needed to hear."

As the pair walked back inside, Buffy fought hard to control her fear of the unknown whilst on the other side of town, another girl sat alone with the same thoughts running through her head.

**TBC**

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Thankyou so much to everyone for the positive response to the first two stories in this series. I hope you enjoy this one as much as the others.  
Luv Ya's All!!!


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Hey guys, hope you didn't give up on me. :) Happy reading

* * *

Ch. 2

_Monday: Buffy and Angel_

With Joyce away till Monday, Buffy stayed with Angel over the weekend. During that time she spent a good portion of it by herself. The gang dropped by at random times but not even their good mood could break Buffy out of the slump she had put herself in and by Monday morning, even Angel breathed a sigh of relief when she headed off to school. He loved her above everything else but when she got weighed down she got cranky and as bad as the thoughts were, he was at those times reminded exactly how old she was.

At school, Buffy, like always, was the odd one out. The entire senior class was running around with reckless abandon at the prospect of only four days till graduation whilst her only thought was that in four days, everyone she knew may be dead. Buffy went into an empty classroom and sat down. She hadnt had much sleep the past few weeks and with her current state of mind, she fell asleep.

'_Buffy walked along the empty coridoors of the school, a piece of paper in her hand. At certain places she stopped to write things down. She turned a corner and saw Faith leaning against a wall._

_"B. thought I might find you here."_

_The pair walked in companionable silence for a while till once again, Buffy wrote something on the paper._

_"What's that you're doing?"  
"I'm getting ready."  
"Ready for what?"  
"The accension. I need to be prepared."_

_Faith laughed draped her arm around Buffy's shoulder._

_"You're wicked tense B. you should know by now that you don't need to prepare. You were prepared a long time ago, we all were."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Oh come on. How often have things gone to plan in this place B."_

_Faith looked at the paper and for the first time Buffy actually looked at what she was writting. All down the page were a list of things she had done, battles she had fought where the outcome differed from the original plan._

_"What's going to happen is going to happen B. No amount of planning and preperation can change that. You'll do what you have to do when you have to do it. We all will."  
"What are you going to do?"  
"Now thats a secret, and if I told you, I'd have to kill you." Faith replied with a laugh.  
"That's so childish."  
"Maybe." Faith looked right into Buffy's eyes, "What are you going to do about it?"_

Buffy awoke with a start and looked around. She had no idea what the dream ment but she figured it would become clear in time. She heard the sounds of her classmates running around in the hall and not for the first time she feared their saftey.

'_What's going to happen is going to happen."_

Faiths words came back to her and she took a deep breath. Faith might think she was prepared but she didn't know. How can you be prepared when you don't know what's comming. The frustration at her own brain made Buffy want to hit something. She walked out of the classroom and headed towards the gym.

After nearly an hour of beating up the punching bag, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She spun around ready to knock out the person who had dared to interupt, thankfully Angel blocked the hit.

"What are you doing here?" she asked by way of greeting.  
"Ascension. Research. Class, which by the way, arent you ment to be attending?"  
"What are you, my mother."  
"No but i am your teacher, at least for a few more days and beyond that, I'm also your fiancee and I care about you. So don't get snarkey ok."  
"Who's getting snarkey. All I'm saying is that I don't need you to tell me where I should be. I'm not four."  
"You wouldn't know it." Angel muttered under his breath then mentally kicked himself.  
"Well if I'm so juvenille why did you give me this." Buffy screamed whilst holding up her engagement ring."

Feeding off his own annoyance at himself Angel responded in kind,

"I'm starting to wonder that myself." he yelled back before storming out.

Buffy screamed at the top of her lungs and kicked out at the punching bag so hard it broke off its chain and imbedded itself in the wall. Tears of frustration and anger poured down her face as she stalked from the gym. She was so preoccupied with what was going on that she didn't notice the eyes that followed her from across the room.

* * *

Faith watched as the two lovers fought it out. A fight between the two made for a nice change from their usual love-sick expressions, not to mention the fact that it provided a high level of entertainment. 

Faith walked through the throngs of people in the halls and snuck quietly into the library. Walking amongst the shelves she picked up a volume labled _'Ponente Poisons'. _Smiling, she glanced around a shelf at Angel who was brooding in Giles office.

"This is going to be fun."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Yeah i know, 2 chappys in one day. wierd isnt it!

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Ch. 3

_Tuesday:_

Xander woke up like he had done every day for the past two and a half years; with a feeling of dread and a certainty that today was the day he would die. Yep, another day on the Sunnydale High Campus. Another day on the hellmouth. Oh what fun.

He headed off to school as he had done every day for the past two and a half years; glancing over his shoulder every few minutes, tearing between a desire to run and to continue on, giving thought to the day ahead and which classes he wouls skip.

Once at school he did the thing he had done every day for the past two and a half years; he looked out for a certain blond to assure himself of his own saftey. After spotting her down the hall he grinned, took a deep breath and continued into his normal daily routine.

Noticing Cordelia signing out her graduation gown and yearbook he decided to join her. Ever since they had got back together he had hoped that they might make the fact public, yeah right. She may be immortal and a little humbler but in most aspects she was still the same old Cordy through and through, and he wouldnt have her any other way.

"I can't believe this loser look. I lobbied so hard for the teal. Noone ever listens to me. A lone fashionable wolf."  
"I like the maroon. It has more dignity." Xander responded.  
"Dignity? You? In relation to clothes? I'm awash in a sea of confusion." Cordy retorted  
"I just want to look respectable in this. Conscidering i'm probably going to die in it." Xander explained.  
"Excuse me!?" Cordy was confused.  
"I'm tellin' ya. I woke up today with this feeling in my gut, i just know. There is no way i'm getting out of this school alive." Xander finished looking around.  
"Wow, you've really mastered the power of positive giving up." Cordelia concluded  
"But i've been lucky too many times. My numbers comming up. and i was short! One more rotation and i'm shipping stateside, you know what i mean?"  
"Seldom if ever." Cordy grinned and walked away.

Xander took in her last comment and rolled his eyes. he looked down at the sheet he had been given reguarding graduation. he ran through the list of names of speach givers, re-read the list to be sure his eyes werent decieving him.

"Oh yea, i'm gonna die!"

* * *

Cordelia walked away from Xander with a little aprehension. She wanted to shout from the rooftop that she was once again seeing the loser Xander Harris, but she couldn't. Maybe if they survived Friday she would...maybe.

It's not like she had the money to date someone anymore. Boyfriends were expensive. And then there was the whole thing where she was going to win an Academy in the next eighteen months, and how would she look walking down the carpet with Xander.

Her future needed some serious consideration

* * *

Willow arrived on campus with a smile. She loved school, she loved every aspect about school, she loved everyone at school. She would miss school. After getting her yearbook, she set about getting the entire graduating class to sign it...including Harmony. Later she caught up with Buffy and Xander for Lunch.

The idea of the Mayor giving the graduation speech had once again drained Buffy of any happiness she posessed. She knew Buffy and Angel had had a fight the day before but she didnt know any of the details and that on top of everything else. Not even chocolate was going to fix this one. Stiil, she wasnt about to let Buffy's mood influence her's in any way. After lunch she headed off to English whilst the others continued to research in the library. GIles had said they still had to go to classes but each of them were skipping the majority. Still, Angel was still taking English and Willow had a feeling he may need someone to talk to so off she went.

Angel was letting them do whatever and this gave Willow the perfect opportunity to chat.

"Hey Angel."  
"Willow." Angel responded rather stiffly.  
"Buffy hasnt told me anything." Willow said gently. Angel looked up and sighed  
"Sorry Will. i didnt mean to snap."

Desciding to avoid the issue all together Willow took a different route

"What are you going to do next year? I mean will you keep teaching?"  
"Who says we're even going to be here next year."  
"Oh no, not you too? What is with everyone? I mean, am i seriously the only one who's happy at the moment. Pessamists, all of you. We're about to graduate, something we've been looking forward to for thirteen years and you're all letting a little ascension get to you. Be happy damn it!"

Willow stormed out leaving a very confused Angel in her wake. Once outside the door she took a deep breath, smiled and continued on her yearbook signing quest.

* * *

Angel thought about what Willow had said. What would he do next year. He hadnt really given much thought to the subject except to make a mental note that he was getting married...married...Buffy.

His fight with Buffy hadn't left him in the best of moods. He always had a habbit of speaking his thought aloud when he was angry or frustrated, and not for the first time he wished it was a trait he could get rid of.

The age thing had never really been a problem, seriously, what was two hundred years really. But not for the first time he thought about the fact that in three days she would graduate and as such, enter a world she was not prepared for. Buffy may have seen things that no person of her age should have to see and she had always dealt with those things with a maturity that was beyond her years but when it came to aspects of life, she was still only just eighteen.

The choices that lay before her would be difficult and Angel only hoped she would grow up enough to make them for herself.

* * *

TBC

AN: I know the stuff between Buffy and Angel may seem a little harsh but it has a purpose :)


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Make that 3 :)

* * *

Ch. 4

_Thursday:_

Wednesday passed like every other and by thursday, stress levels were running high. Buffy and Angel still weren't speaking and infact, neither had seen each other since Monday. Willow was still in such a chipper mood Giles was begining to suspect posession. Xander was trying to get through the day without thinking that in two days he would probably be dead. Cordelia and Wesley were going about the day to day things of life pre-Ascension. All in all things were not good.

Buffy woke up and sighed. She was still mad at Angel but she missed him so much it almost wasn't worth it. She got up, showered and went down stairs, resolved that she would go and see him before school. As she descended the stairs, she found her mum waiting for her with a cup of coffee. she almost waved it off till she saw the headline of the paper Joyce had just finished reading.

"Morning sweetie. Want anything else for breakfast?"  
"What, oh no. thanks." Buffy spoke absent mindedly as she picked up the paper and scanned the artical.  
"It's horrible isnt it. No matter how many times i see something like this in the paper it still gets to me." Joyce frowned.  
"I know." Buffy stomach sank as she realised who it was behind the murder.  
"I mean, to kill an innocent professor in his own home. Vampire or demon?"  
"Not a chance. It was a human being"  
"That just makes it all the worse. The thought of someone running around Sunnydale happily killing it makes me sick."  
"You have no idea."

With that Buffy left, taking the paper with her. All thoughts of Angel fled her mind as once again, a preoccupation with Faith set in. Her dream from a few days before came back to her

_"What's going to happen is going to happen.", "If i told you, I'd have to kill you."_

* * *

By lunchtime, Buffy's brain had hit meltdown. Whilst Anya's information about the Ascension was in itself useful, the knowledge that she had never faced anything like whatever it was Mayor would turn into was a little daughnting. Then having the Mayor himself turn up was also not of the fun. Giles losing his composure proved the pressure was also getting to him which didn't bode well and then of course the Mayor had to go and call her a child which is exactly what Angel had done and her and Angel were still fighting and...brain overload.

Buffy left campus and headed home. There was still one thing she hadn't dealt with, her mum. She started to pack some stuff, jumped online and booked a ticket to New York. With Joyce on the other side of the country, Buffy figured she would have one less thing to worry about. After printing off the ticket, Buffy continued to pack. She was just finishing up when Joyce came in,

"You're running away again?" buffy could hear the anger in her voice but didn't care, "And you're taking my clothes."  
"Mum, I need you to leave town, tonight!" Buffy stated firmly  
"Buffy I'll miss your graduation."  
"Yeah, that's sort of the idea."  
"There's no way. I wouldn't dream of..."  
"Mum, graduation is a pointless ceremony where you sit around and listen to a bunch of boring speeches till someone hands you a piece of paper that says you graduated, which you already know, and maroon does absolutly nothing for my complexion so don't argue okay."

Buffy had spoken this in one breath leaving Joyce a little more than confused,

"Why, is some terrible demon going to attack the school?" Joyce asked sarcastically. At Buffy's look she sat down on the bed and sighed, "Oh I see. You know Buffy, looking back at everything that's happened, maybe I should have sent you to a different school."  
"Just promise me you'll be far away from here. I got you plane tickets to New York...go catch a show or something."  
"I'm not leaving you to face some awful monster, if I go anywhere you're going with me."  
Mum, I can't. I know sometimes you wish I was different but I'm not. I can fight this thing but I can't if I'm going to be worrying about you as well. You stay and you'll get me killed."

Joyce sighed and helped Buffy finish off the packing.

"You know mum, whilst you're in New York, you could always look out for a nice wedding dress for me."  
"I bet there are some nice dresses in...wait, WEDDING!"  
"Oh come on, you knew."  
"True, but give a mother credit for trying. So can I see the ring?"

Upon inspection Joyce smiled and gave Buffy a hug,

"My baby girl is all grown up."

Buffy looked away at the comment and within half an hour Joyce was on her way to LAX but her words still rang in Buffy's ears and Buffy couldnt help but wonder if they were true.

* * *

Willows bright and chipper mood had finally extinguished as the weight of Anya's information set in. In its place was a strong desire to do something and as a result she turned to the one thing that had always helped her in the past, books. Her and Oz hit full research mode but a feeling boardering hysteria just wouldnt leave her. And Oz's humour just wasn't helping

"Would you like me to panic?" Oz asked eventually  
"Yes! It would be swell. Panic is a thing people can share in times of crisis and everythings really scarey now you know. And I don't know what's going to happen and there's all kinds of things you're suposed to do after highschool and I was really looking forward to doing them and now we're probably just going to die and I'd like to feel that maybe you would..."

Oz cut her off by kissing her.

"What are you doing?" Willow asked, a little dazed  
"Panicing."

The last thought Willow had was that Panic was good.

* * *

Xander went to the library after school to continue to help research. He wasnt at all suprised to find Cordelia there. After a few hours Giles sent them home for some rest, assuring them that he would call if anything came up before morning.

Without speaking, Xander walked Cordelia home. As he was turning to leave he felt Cordelia pull him back. When he looked at her he noticed that she looked scared.

"Stay with me?"

They went inside and the first thing Xander noticed was that all the furniture had gone. The house was bare. At his look Cordelia turned away

"The IRS. They're re-posessing the house in two weeks. Mum and dad have gone away...they didn't say where and they arent sure when they will be back."

Xander took her into his arms and let her cry. He sat down on one of the few things left, a big bean bag, and pulled her into his lap.

"It's okay Cordy, I'm not going anywhere."

Eventually she fell asleep. Looking at the beauty queen in his arms, Xander knew for the first time that he would survive graduation. He now had a reason to.

TBC

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AN: 3 chapters in one day, i think thats a record for me. let me know what you think :)  
Luv u all xoxoxoxox


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